over·weight
ˈō-vər-ˌwāt 
sense 2 is usually
ˌō-vər-ˈwāt
1
: weight over and above what is required or allowed
2
: excessive or burdensome weight
over·weight
ˌō-vər-ˈwāt
overweighted; overweighting; overweights
over·weight
ˌō-vər-ˈwāt
: exceeding expected, normal, or proper weight
especially
: exceeding the bodily weight normal for one's age, height, and build
Examples of overweight in a Sentence
Adjective
He looked to be at least 20 pounds overweight.
an overweight person who had difficulty running even a short distance
Recent Examples on the Web
Tom Gavin, EverydayHealth.com, 27 Feb. 2026
Obesity, some cases of overweight with medical conditions, and obstructive sleep apnea.
—Shafiq Najib, ABC News, 23 Feb. 2026
Michael Bloom, CNBC, 20 Feb. 2026
Local and regional African credit rating agencies argue that their global counterparts overweight hard currency constraints and external shocks while underestimating domestic resilience and informal economic activity.
—Yinka Adegoke, semafor.com, 12 Jan. 2026
Liz Napolitano, CNBC, 27 Feb. 2026
Most media had painted OSA as something that happens to older, overweight men.
—Edgar Castro Tello, Health, 26 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for overweight
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Noun
Children and teens can develop type 2 diabetes, as can people who do not have overweight or obesity or who have no family history of the condition.
—Tom Gavin, EverydayHealth.com, 27 Feb. 2026
Obesity, some cases of overweight with medical conditions, and obstructive sleep apnea.
—Shafiq Najib, ABC News, 23 Feb. 2026
Verb
Barclays upgrades Etsy to overweight from equal weight Barclays upgraded Etsy following earnings.
—Michael Bloom, CNBC, 20 Feb. 2026
Local and regional African credit rating agencies argue that their global counterparts overweight hard currency constraints and external shocks while underestimating domestic resilience and informal economic activity.
—Yinka Adegoke, semafor.com, 12 Jan. 2026
Adjective
Chatterjee has an overweight rating on Apple.
—Liz Napolitano, CNBC, 27 Feb. 2026
Most media had painted OSA as something that happens to older, overweight men.
—Edgar Castro Tello, Health, 26 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for overweight
Cite this Entry
“Overweight.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/overweight. Accessed 1 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
overweight
1 of 2 noun
over·weight
ˈō-vər-ˌwāt
sense 2 is usually ˌō-vər-ˈwāt
1
: weight above what is required or allowed
2
: excessive or burdensome weight
overweight
2 of 2 adjective
over·weight
ˌō-vər-ˈwāt
: being more than the expected, normal, or proper weight
especially
: having greater than normal bodily weight for one's age, height, and build
Medical Definition
overweight
adjective
over·weight
-ˈwāt
: weighing in excess of the normal for one's age, height, and build
overweight adolescents
overweight adults typically have a body mass index of 25 to 29.9
overweight
noun
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